Event production

Cattle Baron’s Ball 2022 – A Rousing Success

November 1, 2022

The 2022 Cattle Baron’s Ball has been another rousing achievement, raising millions for cancer research. But a winning ball is not only the result of its VIP guest list or high-profile sponsors. Nor is success guaranteed with revered performers, luxury raffles, or silent auctions. Although these are critical components, successful fundraising events need something more.

Large live events, especially non-profit fundraisers like the Cattle Baron’s Ball, are complex machines with many moving parts that must work together to ensure success. Numerous vendors need to be coordinated, and the schedule of events needs to cross-reference with the venue’s capabilities and limitations. Event production has to find a way to adapt and overcome challenges so the event can go on.

That’s why an event’s production needs to be entrusted to a capable and well-experienced team. Our family-run, full-service event production house has been the go-to Cattle-Baron’s Ball event partner for over 40 years… And our seasoned team of industry experts ensure the annual event goes without a hitch every year.

A Brief History of the Cattle Baron’s Ball

The first Cattle Baron’s Ball was in 1974, some 48 years ago. It was a western-style Texas BBQ event that attracted over 500 guests. The aim was to raise funds for cancer research through the community-based American Cancer Society. The inaugural event raised $56,000 for research via ticket sales and an auction. Today, the Ball hosts more than 3,000 guests and raises millions of dollars each year.

AV Production Partner Throughout the Years

Onstage Systems has been a passionate partner of the Cattle Baron’s Ball for many decades. We support them with stage design, indoor and outdoor lighting, audio systems, and additional event production. It’s our mission to enhance the evening’s performances and make the Ball an unforgettable experience for every guest.

The 2022 event was the 49th ball, located at Southfork Ranch in Parker, Texas. Our team proudly supports spectacular performances by headlining talent on every occasion. This year’s live music performances were provided by Chris Young and Old Dominion.

Why Fundraising Events Partner with Onstage Systems

Onstage Systems has been providing event production services since 1978. We are a full-service audio-visual partner with a family-oriented culture. We treat all who work with us as extended family, which is reflected in our work. Our true grit, work ethic, and professionalism are unrivaled in the industry.

Being a full-service event production company means we take care of various needs for the annual Cattle Baron’s Ball. This year, more than 100 techs and assistants were involved in the setup, production, and event teardown.

Here’s a summary of Onstage Systems’ audiovisual services:

Audio	Video	Lighting
Wide range of innovative and superior audio technologies. These sound solutions guarantee to engage and enrich the guest experience. We own and maintain our own equipment, which guarantees not only the best tech in the industry, but also the best equipment to go with it.	Event production video shows stage actions on giant screens at events, broadcast to television, or streamed live on the internet. Multi-screen and complex corporate events need technology to produce results that the high. end client demands.	Tailored lighting solutions that give events a wow factor. Designs that ignite awe, and precision-oriented results that make the client and the attendee see what is meant to be highlighted. Perfected lighting strikes the ideal balance for optimal performance and joyous audience experiences.
AV Installations	Event Production	Stage Design
Custom, unique audiovisual installations are built to exact needs, specifications, and budgets.	Comprehensive event support from start to end. Includes full planning logistics, technical aspects, and additional services on request. Event production takes ideas from concept to seamless execution.	Unique, creative stage designs that serve the intent and aesthetics of a live event. They harmonize different elements and overall layout, thus fixating the eyes and ears of a captive audience.
Special Effects	Equipment Rentals	Staging & Rooftops
Special effects used to add excitement and elevate drama. Illusions, sounds, and visual tricks engage guests, leaving audiences with truly memorable experiences.	Top-of-the-line AV equipment rentals that add technical perfection to any event type. Think backline rentals, speaker systems, audio consoles, microphones, barricades, ramps and more.	Widest choice of mobile, custom staging in the Southwest. Along with rooftops, crowd control barriers, and more, vital to transforming any landscape into highly coveted venues.

Safe Event Solutions for Our Clients

No indoor or outdoor challenge is too great for the committed teams at Onstage Systems. Moreover, we hold certifications for Event Safety Alliance® Member and ESAT Core Safety Training. Our healthy obsession with rigorous safety means we always use approved, safety-compliant PPE, tools, and equipment.

Flexible Event Production Solutions

No two Cattle Baron’s Balls are the same, but every event is a memorable success. Whatever the demands, Onstage Systems rises to all challenges. In addition, we can seamlessly add live streaming support to your in-person live event on request. With over 40 years in the business, Onstage Systems guarantees a smooth-running, stress-free function at every event.

Exhilarating Experiences, Everlasting Impressions

Let us handle the details. And you can take credit for an exhilarating experience that leaves everlasting impressions. Discover how our creative, comprehensive event production can help your next live, virtual, or hybrid event succeed.

View Onstage Systems’ Work Here

Wrestling Event and Broadcast Production with IMPACT! Wrestling

May 25, 2021

IMPACT! Wrestling is a growing wrestling entertainment promotion that has been in operation for 20 years and, from its inception, has been considered the second-largest wrestling promotion behind World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). Onstage Systems began partnering with IMPACT! Wrestling in 2019 to help with their wrestling event production. IMPACT! Wrestling produces wrestling events across the United States and Mexico, where Onstage Systems served as part of IMPACT! Wrestling’s traveling production team.

The touring schedule for IMPACT! Wrestling came to a halt in early 2020 with the COVID-19 shutdown in the United States. Onstage Systems helped them reset production to their home studio in Nashville, where IMPACT! Wrestling filming continued on a closed set. IMPACT! Wrestling partners with Onstage Systems to bring everything needed for their filming except the ring and the cameras. Without a live audience, Onstage Systems needed to bring the production value to a new level to offset a live crowd’s missing energy and excitement.

Onstage Systems travels from Dallas to Nashville, with all the lighting, audio, and additional equipment needed, approximately once a month to film episodes with IMPACT! Wrestling over multiple days. While in Nashville for filming, Onstage Systems helps IMPACT! Wrestling produce a Pay-Per-View special and IMPACT! Wrestling’s broadcast episodes. IMPACT episodes are broadcast on television and simulcast online through Twitch. In addition to broadcast episodes and Pay-Per-View specials, Onstage Systems helps IMPACT! Wrestling produce additional content for their online-only service, IMPACT Plus.

Wrestling event production is not new to Onstage Systems. Our company has a long history of more than 40 years of operation with experience producing ring sports events. Our pedigree includes wrestling shows, boxing fights, and mixed martial arts events that we have helped produce across the country.

Onstage Systems is excited to continue partnering with IMPACT! Wrestling through 2021 and hopeful of returning to filming live audience episodes and return to touring later this year. Learn more about Onstage Systems Event Production Capabilities or Contact Us to discuss how we can help your event come to life.

Visit IMPACT! Wrestling

Finding an Event Production Company for Your Concert, Tour or Music Festival: What To Look For, How to Vet Them, and What You Need To Know

April 30, 2021

2020 was a challenging year for event production. Many event production partners had to pivot and change their businesses to survive, and others had to shut their doors. Now, as the live events industry begins to spring back to life, there are many pop-up shops and new, inexperienced production companies flooding the market and making it more challenging to find a qualified vendor. That’s why we put together this article with our decades of live event experience to help you know what to look for in an event production partner for your concert, tour or music festival.

Start With The End In Mind

Before searching for your ideal concert, tour, or event production company, make sure you set the relationship up for success. This preparation includes starting early. Pre-production meetings for your event should begin roughly three months prior to the event’s date. You should also take this time to develop a clear vision for your event. Even a veteran event production company can have difficulty bringing out the potential for an event if your vision isn’t clear. You also need to make a checklist of the needs for your concert, event, or tour production. Items for your checklist include:

Sound & Lighting
Crew Size
Interactive Components
What equipment is being provided by the venue
What equipment needs to be rented
Will the event be broadcast, live-streamed, or need to be professionally recorded?

AV Company vs. Event Production Company: Make Sure You Understand What You Are Looking For

Once you have the idea and the rough needs of your event outlined, you should start looking for an event production company. The first thing to identify in your research is that your prospective partners are professional event production companies. Sometimes an audio-visual company likes to stretch its offerings and moonlight as an event production company. An AV company is competent in running event equipment and can help you set up said equipment for your event, but that is where their expertise ends. They are not an event production company.

An event production company does provide equipment setup and operation, but also much more. A full-service event production company can help you design your event from the ground up. Onstage Systems has helped many clients early in the event process with tasks like venue selection and permitting. Beyond setup, an event production company will help bring your event vision to life. They can help you with the design and coordination of your stage, audio, lighting, and multimedia, turning your event idea into an extraordinary audience experience. That’s in addition to providing the nuts and bolts of offstage event production like crowd control and security. Events are far more than running lights and sound. It’s essential you work with an event production partner that can provide the full scope of services your event needs.

Event Planning, Event Management, and Event Production Companies

You also want to make sure you’re looking for the correct type of event production partner. Though they may sound similar, there are differences between an event planning company, an event management company, and an event production company. An event planning company helps on the front end, assisting clients in finding venues, finalizing event dates, hiring caterers, manage budgets, etc. In contrast, an event management company handles the project management side of event production. These companies help with event registration, managing event staff, and resolving onsite conflicts, to execute your event. An event production company focuses on the live, stage presentation of an event. They often work with the presenters/acts, AV crews, and technology vendors to produce and deliver the amazing live experiences at an event, concert, or tour. Generally, the event production company handles all production aspects of the stage production for the client.

Consider Event Production Companies or AV Companies Outside of Your Search Radius

Online research will skew towards your location. That can keep you from finding great event production companies that are outside your metro area, who would be an excellent fit for your event, and who are willing to travel. For example, Onstage Systems is based in DFW, but we help put on events, concerts, and tours from Nashville to Albuquerque. You could miss out on a great event production company partner by centering your research on your current location.

Establishing a Budget For Your Event

One of the biggest questions for a group planning an event is price. Look for an event production company partner whose pricing seems fair and reasonable for what you ask them to deliver for the event. To determine what is right and fair, consider what all your event entails. An event production company provides labor but also may provide equipment, staging, furniture, crowd control, security, and transportation. In addition to those costs, there are creative design, insurance, permitting, and taxes. An event’s costs can quickly balloon, especially if you begin involving multiple event partners like an event production company, event planner, and event management. The more moving parts in your event production, the more expensive it will become.

Sticker shock can drive some groups to search out budget solutions and low bids. But, if the price seems too good to be true, it probably is. Often a budget price translates to a budget production. The last thing you want for your event is to spend less and feel like you didn’t get your money’s worth. Remember, your event’s success is determined by its impact on the audience and how memorable it is. So spend your money where it will have the most impact, in the event’s production. Engage a full-service event production company early in your event timeline. A good, full-service event production company can help review your budget and suggest ways to use it to provide the best production, “bang for your buck.” They may be able to help you negotiate discounts and uncover additional cost savings to help your event production budget stretch further.

Vetting Event Production Companies

One of the first things you should consider when culling your list of potential partners is event production company specialties. Some event production companies specialize in corporate events like trade shows, conferences, seminars, and product launches. That company is likely not the ideal partner for your summer concert festival. Similarly, you may forego working with an event production company that specializes in broadcast if you’re not planning to broadcast, stream, or record your event. Many 2021 events have transitioned from full virtual to hybrid events, featuring in-person production, crowd control, and live-streaming. So you may be looking for an event production company partner like Onstage Systems that has been doing hybrid events for over a year now, and producing live events for over 40 years.

Experience & Licensing

Once you’ve assembled a shortlist of potential partners, you can start investigating them to find your best partner. One of the best hallmarks to look for is experience. How long have they been in business? Does their track record of work fit the type of event you’re producing? In addition to experience, ask about an event production company’s certifications, licenses, affiliations, and ensure they have general liability coverage and workers compensation coverage.

Online Presence

Delving into an event production company’s social media, website, and old event footage is a great way to get a feel for their event production. You can also learn a lot about the company’s core values, the quality of the people they have on their team, and the quality of service they provide. For example, looking back through our social media, you can learn about some of the challenges we needed to overcome to help produce a 1,000 drone open-air light show in December.

Also, check online for feedback, reviews, and referrals. You should also consider asking vendors, venues, and other event producers if they know or have worked with an event production company. This feedback can help you quickly discover less desirable event production partners.

Creativity

How do the events your prospects produce look and sound? At the end of the day, this is how event attendees and concert-goers will judge your event. Look for an event production partner that is bringing something unique to the event. Look for photographs and videos of their events across the internet to see if they have a wow factor that can benefit your event.

Event Production Company Questions

Once you’ve winnowed down your potential partners, it’s time for direct questions. These questions are in the final step to help you determine if an event production company is right for you.

What are your core services?
What equipment can you provide, and what will you need to rent?
Are you able to travel?
Can you source local labor on the road?
Can you hire/coordinate your own AV labor?
Can you provide a show flow or cue-to-cue document?
Can you tell me about the latest event production trends and technology?
Choosing Your Ideal Event Production Company

Like any good partnership, you have to like and trust the people you work with. In your gut, do you trust an event production company can bring your vision for an event to life? Even after your interviews, if your potential event production partner checks all the boxes but your gut says otherwise, it may be best to trust your gut and keep looking.

Now you are ready to find your ideal event production company for your Spring and Summer event, concert, or tour. In your search, consider Onstage Systems. We have more than 40 years of experience in live events and offer full-service live event production with audio engineers, lighting experts, and technicians ready to bring your vision to life.

Learn More About Onstage Systems Event Production Capabilities

The Capricorn Drive-In at Fair Park

October 14, 2020

The Capricorn Drive-In hosted a four week series of music, film, and performance in Dallas at Fair Park. As part of the #SociallyDistantSummerSeries, the event was held Fridays and Saturdays, from August 28th to September 5th.

Capricorn Drive-In Featured Performers

AhhFugYeahs
Colab
Cure of Paranoia
DJ Don Gentry & Wayward
Fempyre
Infamists & Static Creatures
Lost Arts Legacy
Meach Pango
Skin & Drum Drum Cult

The event had the distinction of being Dallas’s first COVID-19 safe public concert approved by the City of Dallas. It was created to highlight the talent of Texas musicians and performers. The four-week Fair Park event was the culmination of 14 weeks of planning. Great effort was placed on creating a COVID-19 safe, live event experience.

COVID-19 Considerations

To be approved by the City of Dallas, Onstage Systems needed to develop a safety plan with attendee management as priority number one. Onstage Systems created a parking diagram with designated attendee sitting areas following COVID-19 distancing guidelines. Automobiles were spaced 30 feet from the stage with safe, designated sitting areas to the front and left of automobiles. Attendees were encouraged to tailgate from their automobiles or sit in the designated areas on blankets and picnic chairs.

Other considerations included organizing high traffic areas like toilet facilities and coordinating the cleaning crew for high-traffic area sanitization.

Visual Messaging

Part of the safety plan was creating a visual messaging strategy for COVID-19 safety protocols. Informing attendees of the protocols was paramount. The visual messaging solution encouraged attendees to adjust their behaviors to keep live events live and for attendees to be part of the solution. Security at the event also enforced COVID-19 safety protocols.

Backstage Safety

Working crew, bands, and other performers were all temperature checked upon arrival. Additionally, all working crew, bands, and performers were required to wear masks when within 10 feet of others.

Onstage Systems – COVID-Safe Dallas Event Production

Onstage Systems coordinated the event with local bands and the managers of national talent to bring The Capricorn Drive-In at Fair Park all together. In addition to coordination, Onstage Systems provided video , lighting and audio production. The audio solution for the drive-in event included live public address system sound and the inclusion of an FM transmitter for attendees to listen through their automobile stereos. In addition to live performances, Onstage Systems live-streamed select performances from the event online to virtual audiences.

Onstage Systems is proud to have been a part of bringing live events back to Dallas with the City’s first approved, COVID-19 safe public concert. We would also like to thank our event partners that helped to make The Capricorn Drive-In at Fair Park a success.

About Onstage Systems

Onstage Systems is a full-service event production company committed to creating lasting impressions. From virtual and live corporate events, music festivals and more, we have solutions to transform your ambitious vision into reality.

We offer design, production management, audio, lighting, video, backline, rooftops, and staging to ensure your event runs smoothly so you can enjoy your big moment stress-free. Looking for a non-traditional live event production team? Learn more about Onstage System’s drive-in and virtual event capabilities.

Virtual Concert Event Production for Sonic Soul Tribe

July 1, 2020

Onstage Systems helped produce a 12-hour international, virtual concert event for Sonic Soul Tribe. The performance took place in April of 2020 and featured artists and performers from across the United States and abroad performing live on stage and remotely.

Sonic Soul Tribe is a not-for-profit electronic and experimental music and art experience based in Dallas, Texas, born from the Burning Man festival. The collective is a music, art, and production experience that seeks to gift dance, art, and community to those looking for a new way to connect, celebrate, and rejoice in the human experience.

Learn More About Onstage System’s Virtual Event Production Services

The virtual concert was a great challenge to bring together. Logistics demanded coordinating live streaming performers across the world. The event’s 12 hour duration required incredible stamina and discipline from the Onstage team to produce.

To keep the virtual concert entertaining, Onstage Systems mixed video graphics, picture-in-picture, and simultaneous performance feed switching of remote artists’ live streams. In addition to music and spoken word performances, the virtual concert also featured visual performances including body painters, flow artists, fire performers, dancers, and more. This allowed Onstage Systems to marry visually entertaining performances with auditory entertainment by combining performance streams.

Part of the virtual concert included a live, stage performance at the Onstage Systems warehouse in Dallas, Texas. The stage performance was set up and produced with a “safety first” approach. The Onstage team maintained social distancing during setup and live production. The staff followed the latest health safety guidelines and wore masks throughout. Additionally, Onstage coordinated the performers setup in shifts to minimize contact between all staff and performers.

The virtual concert event production was flawlessly executed by a team of camera operators, video technicians, audio technicians, and lighting designers. To bring the Sonic Soul Tribe virtual event all together, the Onstage team relied on premier equipment from Elation Lighting, L-Acoustics, DiGiCo, and Panasonic.